One attribute of water and other liquids is the amount of oxygen dissolved in the liquid. In many instances, the quality or usefulness of a liquid is in large part determined by the level of dissolved oxygen in the liquid. In general, dissolved oxygen refers to free non-compound oxygen present in a liquid. When oxygen is free and non-compound, each oxygen atom is bonded to only one other oxygen atom and not bonded in any other element. Such an arrangement forms an oxygen molecule (O2). Therefore, dissolved oxygen is an oxygen molecule that is dissolved in a liquid such as water. The dissolved oxygen level of a liquid is the ratio of the amount of dissolved oxygen present in a given volume of the liquid. The level of dissolved oxygen is typically expressed as the weight of oxygen (typically in milligrams) per a volume of liquid (typically in liters).
As will be understood, the level of dissolved oxygen can be very important to the quality and usefulness of naturally-formed and man-made bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, streams, lagoons, reservoirs, retention ponds, holding tanks, settlement tanks, wastewater collected for treatment, and the like. In naturally-formed bodies of water, organisms such as plants, fish, amphibians, bacteria, etc. rely on dissolved oxygen in the body of water for respiration and other biologic functions. While the adequate amount of dissolved oxygen is based on many factors and varies for different bodies of water, generally, bodies of water require between 1 and 15 milligrams of dissolved oxygen per liter of water to sustain a healthy ecosystem to support various organisms.
In certain man-made bodies of water, including wastewater collected for treatment, controlling the level of dissolved oxygen can enable and enhance the treatment of wastewater. For example, certain wastewater treatment processes are aerobic, which means that the process relies on the presence of oxygen to break down organic matter present in the wastewater. Whether on a small scale, such as treating wastewater generated by a rural residential home, or on a large scale, such as a municipal wastewater treatment facility, insuring the presence of oxygen and controlling the oxygen level can be paramount to the effective operation of such aerobic treatment processes.
Conventionally, oxygen is dissolved into bodies of water through mechanical processes such as bubbling air into the water or agitating the water through churning to force air into the water. As will be appreciated, such processes typically require specialized equipment that is powered by electrical energy or by a machine driven by carbon-based energy sources. Thus, conventional methods can be very energy intensive. Furthermore, in such conventional methods, the specialized equipment must be procured and maintained, which adds additional costs. Additionally, agitation of water or bubbling of air into bodies of water can cause turbulence in the body of water, which may be undesirable or detrimental to certain bodies of water such as lakes, ponds and settlement tanks.
Another attribute of water and other liquids is the amount of bacteria and other undesirable organisms in the liquid. In many instances, it is desirable to eliminate or at least reduce the amount of bacteria in a body of water. Bacteria can propagate disease, harm organisms, and contaminate nutrients and other substances that come into contact with the bacteria. Many bodies of water that benefit from proper dissolved oxygen levels can also benefit from the elimination or reduction of bacteria and other undesirable organisms.
There is a need for novel methods and compositions for increasing or controlling the level of dissolved oxygen in bodies of water that overcome the limitations of the prior art. Additionally, there is a need for novel methods and products for providing a disinfecting or antibacterial agent in a body of water.